Can group for ice manufacture



Jan. 29, 1929.-

S. E. LAUER cm cnbur FOR ICE NAHUFACTURE Filed March so, 1926 Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

uNrrEn STATES rArENT orrics,

STEWART E. LA'UER, OF LOS'ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AS SIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO YORK ICE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

GAN GROUP FOR ICE MANUFACTURE.

Applicationfiled March 30, 1926. Serial No. 98,512.

This invention relates to a can group and to an air system used in connection with ice manufacture.

In freezing water in the production of ice, it is highly desirable that air be discharged into the water, which enables the production of clear ice. An object of this invention is to provide an improved can group which has a construction associated therewith for supply ing the air which is discharged into the cans.

Another object of the invention is to pro" vide a can group frame of simple, yet durable, construction, and which enables the cans to be easily removed therefrom for purposes of repair and replacement.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had. to the accompanyingdrawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the improved can group frame,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the group frame illustrating the can in applied position therein,

Fig. 3 is a partial perspective View illustrating a portion of the can group, and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2, illustrating a detail of construction.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved can group frame consists of front and-rear longitudinal side members 10 and 11. These side members have apertures 12 formed therein for the reception of tongues 13 which are formed upon transverse members 14. The transverse members 14 connect the longitudinal side members 10 and, 11 and have extensions 15 which extend forwardly over the up per edge of the forward longitudinal side.

member 10, thus forming shoulders which rest on top of the upper edge of the side member 10. The tongues 13, which extend through 21. branch pipes 22, which. will convey, the com vey'compres'sed air to the bottom of the can so as to be discharged therein. As a. means for supplying compressed air to the conducting tube, apertures are formed in the extensions of the transverse members 14, and these apertures are adapted to receive a supply pipe On the supply. pi-pe there are mounted pressed air to the conducting tubes 19. Slots 23 are formed in the top edges of the transverse members 14 and communicate with their respective apertures 20, enabling the supply pipe 21 to be mounted upon the basket by i being thrust endwise through the apertures 20. During such movement the branch pipes 22 are caused to assume an upstanding position, so that they pass through the slots 23 formed in the transverse members 14. When the supply pipe 21 has been properly positioned, it turned so that the branch pipes 22 assume a position lying against their respective transverse members 14 above the upper edges of the cans C, as shown in Fig. 3.

The branch pipes 22 are detachably con nected to the upper. ends of the conducting tubes 19 as is illustrated in Fig. 4. The upper end of each conducting tube 19 has a tapered or conicalseat 24 formed thereon, and a nipple 25 has a tapered projection 26 adapted to seat on the seat 24. p The nipple 25 is mounted upon its respective branch pipe 22, and in this manner air may flow from the branch pipes into the conducting'tube 19. In the top of each nipple 25 there is threaded a screw 27 carrying a pin or wire 28 which extends downwardly in the bore formed in the nipple and the projection 26 The purpose of this is to form fixed area restrictions for throttling air to cans and to enable the coupling to be Theloweredges of the bands. 16 on the p cans C rest upon the upper edges of the side members 10 and 11 so as to support the cans in the group frame so formed. The opposed faces of the side members 10 and 11 are downwardly and inwardly inclined, complementary to the inclined sides of the cans so as to form a rigid can group, the cans snugly fitting between the side members. As a means for holding the cans in the group frame so provided, cleats 29 and 30 are employed. These cleats are in length about one half the length of each of the transverse members 14. The cleat 29 is secured upon one side of each transverse member 14:, and the other cleat 30 is secured upon the other side. Each cleat 29 is secured upon the same side of its trans verse member 14: that the branch conduit 22 is arranged against and extends from the groove 18 to the back longitudinal side member 11. Each cleat 30 is secured on the opposite side of its respective transverse member 14 and extends from about the middle of the transverse member to a point adjacent the supply pipe 21. The cleats :29 and are removably secured in place as by brass or bronze screws so that they can be readily attached and detached and will not become rusted in place. They bear upon the upper edges of their respective cans C, and thus lock the cans in the group frame.

From this construction it will be readily appreciated that the supply pipe 21 and the branch pipes 22 are rigidly mounted directly on the group frame, but at the same time occupy a very small amount of space, so that they will in no way interfere in handling the group frame. The group frame is so arranged that the cans can be assembled in a group of any number; but when a large number of cans is employed, two transverse memhers 14 are positioned adjacent each other at various intervals, as shown in Fig. 1. Lifting pins 31 are secured between the adjacent transverse members 14 so that a lifting hook can be applied thereto in shifting the can group about and in emptying the cans.

It will be understood that various changes in the detail of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A can group frame for the purpose of supporting cans used in ice manufacture comprising two longitudinal side members, and transverse members connecting the side members, said transverse members having tongues extending through the longitudinal members and portions bearing against the top edge of one of said longitudinal members, said portions having apertures therein adapted to receive an air supply pipe for the purpose described.

2. A can group frame for the purpose of supporting cans used in ice manufacture comprising two longitudinal side members, and transverse members connecting the side members, said transverse members having tongues extending through the longitudinal members and portions bearing against the top edge of one of said longitudinal members, said portions having apertures therethrough adapted to receive an air supply pipe and slots extending from the edges of the trans verse members to said apertures for the purpose described.

3. A can group for ice manufacture comprising a group frame formed of front and rear longitudinal side members, transverse members connecting said side members, the forward ends of the transverse members having portions extending over the forward longitudinal side member, said portions having apertures formed therein, a supply pipe extending through said apertures, branch pipes leading from the supply pipe and positioned against the sides of said transverse members, cans disposed between the side and transverse member, said cans having conducting tubes connected to said branch pipes, and cleats detachably secured to said transverse members, said cleats being arranged on the same sides of the transverse members as the branch pipes.

4. A can group for ice manufacture comprising lingitudinal side members, transverse members connecting the side members, cans fitting between said members, each can having a conducting tube for conveying air to its interior, the entrances to the conducting tubes being arranged adjacent the tops of the cans and intermediate the ends of the transverse members, an air supply pipe capable of being rotated and rigid branch pipes connected to the air supply pipe and detachably connected to the conducting tubes whereby, upon rotating the air supply pipe, the branch supply pipes may be lifted thereby from the conducting tubes.

5. A can group for ice manufacture comprising longitudinal side members, transverse members connecting the side members, said transverse members having portions which project over the top of one of said side members, cans fitting between said members, an air supply pipe mounted upon the projecting portion of said transverse members, each can having a conducting tube for conveying air to the interior thereof, entrances to each conducting tube being arranged adjacent the middle of the top of one of the side walls of its respective can, and branch pipes connectin the air supply pipe to the conducting tu es and arranged along the transverse members. 7

6. A can group for ice manufacture comprising longitudinal side members, transverse members connecting the side members, said transverse members having portions which project over the top of one of said side members, cans fitting between said members, an

air supply pipe mounted upon the projecting portion of said transverse members, each can having a conducting tube for conveying air to the interior thereof, entrances to each conducting tube being arranged adjacent the middle of the top of one of the side walls of its respective can, and branch pipes connecting the air supply pipe to the conducting tubes and arranged along the transverse members, the air supply pipe being capable of ro tating, and the connections between the branch pipes and the conducting tubes comprising a tapered nipple fitting in a tapered socket, whereby, upon rotating the air supply pipe, the branch pipes may be disconnectedb and moved away from the conducting tu es.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 20 name to this specification.

STEWART E. LAUER. 

